The Panda Press 2018-2019 Issue 3 - Carroll County Public Schools

The Panda Press
                       2018-2019
                           Issue 3

                           Westminster Elementary School
             WES Internet Address: http://www.carrollk12.org/wes
                   Phone: 410-751-3222              Fax: 410-751-3926
        Whitney A. Warner, Principal            Sheri L. Maring, Assistant Principal

Principal’s Corner:

Dear Parents and Guardians,
It is hard to believe we are in the Third Quarter already! Please spread the word
that our Kindergarten Registration is the week of March 11th – 15th. Call the office to
schedule an appointment with our registrar.
As we head into March and April, we begin our state testing. Our 5th graders will be
taking MISA, the state science assessment. Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders will be tak-
ing the PARCC test in the areas of reading and math. All testing is computer based. I
have confidence that our students will perform well on these assessments as I have
seen the hard work they are doing each day in classrooms with their teachers.
Let’s hope that winter is soon behind us and spring is on its way!
Ms. Whitney A. Warner
Principal

Empathy                                                  Melissa Doan, School Counselor
In the classic novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” protagonist Atticus Finch teaches his children that, “You
never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb inside
of his skin and walk around in it.”
Empathy—the power to understand perspectives other than your own—is an essential skill for all chil-
dren to master, and it’s one of an important set of teaching strategies parents should focus on. Empathy
is foundational for building bridges between individuals, understanding each others’ complex emotions,
gaining a diverse perspective, and leveraging relationships for collaboration and progress.
Despite its importance, empathy is a still a skill. And like all skills, interpersonal or not, it can be thor-
oughly developed … or ignored. You could argue that alongside our responsibility to equip our children
with the academic skills to ace tests, utilize technology, and comprehend curriculum, we likewise need to
consider how we can formulate our teaching strategies to undergird their character to become the most
well-rounded and complete individual as they progress through their life.
Empathy Equals Intelligence
According to numerous studies, socio-emotional learning contributes to overall cognitive development in
children of all ages. The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley recognizes that understanding
and managing emotions is “Key to building healthy relationships and achieving academic, career and life
goals.” As children master their own emotions and understand the perspectives of others, they will also
be able to control, develop, connect, and motivate themselves more effectively.
By now, it must seem pretty clear that empathy is an important personality asset for our children, but
you may be wondering how to make it fit amongst your life at home. Here are a few ideas to get you
started:

   Be an example. Know that your children watch you. They learn from your character and behav-
iors. Be a consistent example of empathy, and exude a caring, compassionate, understanding attitude.
They’ll follow your lead.

   Create the environment. It’s important that your children trust you and one another. If an under-
standing, trustworthy environment is established, then they’re more likely to open up and display posi-
tive characteristics towards one another.

   Include lots of stories. Stories are perhaps the closest thing we have to “Walking around in someone
else’s skin.” They make us more human and develop our ability to understand and sympathize with others’
experiences.

   Work on communication strategies. Feelings are very different from words. It’s important that
attention is given to helping children find the words to explain their feelings, in both their speaking and
their writing.

   Offer collaborative group tasks. As our children work together on specific tasks or challenges
at school, they experience a sort of group molding that brings them together. Shared victory or failure
gives them a collaborative experience that requires them to exercise those empathy muscles with their
peers.

   Try engaging your child in specific tasks or challenges at home. Make a dessert together, give them
tasks to complete with you. Celebrate their successes.

   Identify shared values and differences. Discussions and activities go a long way towards help-
ing children see how they align or differ from others. These discussion and activities also give way to
your children’s understanding of parent values and differences.

   Free and structured play. Playing on the playground and in the classroom builds bonds between
peers that open up the lanes for mutual understanding. Playing with peers outside of school is also an
opportunity to increase social skills. If you have multiple children, encourage them to play together, and
even coach them on their interactions and consequences. Encourage your child to play with peers in the
neighborhood.

From the Nurse:
                       February is American Heart Month is your heart healthy?
   1 in 3 US adults has high blood pressure! You should know your normal BP
   A Heart Smart diet should be low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium
   Want CHOCOLATE? Reach for dark chocolate. Actually the darker the better! Dark chocolate has
        the highest concentration of flavenoids. These heart healthy antioxidants can help to lower
        blood pressure, increase HDL( the good cholesterol) and decrease LDL( the bad cholesterol).
        But be careful, chocolate still has a lot of calories so limit this treat to a 1 ounce serving.
   Heart Disease is the #1 killer of women in the USA. It accounts for more than one third of all
        deaths, topping the combined death rates from breast, ovarian and cervical cancers! Risk fac-
        tors include: obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, menopause, diet high in saturated fats, high
        cholesterol, diabetes, lack of exercise, a large waist measurement and family history of heart
        disease.
   The most commonly reported acute symptoms of heart attack in women are: shortness of breath,
        weakness and fatigue.
   Tis the Season….for kids to stay home sick. When you are keeping your student home for ill-
       ness, please provide a note when they return indicating why they stayed home, ie influen-
       za, strep throat, stomach bug. This is important because I track communicable disease
       on a monthly basis. (Remember – they cannot return to school if they’ve had a fever within
       the last 24 hours, or until they’ve been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours.)

Some notes about the flu:
   Currently the CDC is reporting HIGH flu activity that is widespread across Maryland.
   The most common flu virus that is going around is Type A (H1) Type A flu tends to cause the most
       severe symptoms.
   The stomach bug is NOT the flu. It’s a viral illness that causes vomiting and/or diarrhea, however
       some kids do have vomiting with the flu like symptoms and fever.
   This does not mean that you should not get the vaccine this year because we could still see a
       rise in flu activity before the season is over.
   Flu risk prevention includes my most favorite thing to tell you to do: HANDWASHING. Prac-
       ticing good hand hygiene is the number one best way to prevent disease. Other things to make
       sure you do (or don’t do) is avoid touching your eyes nose or mouth, cover your cough or sneeze
       with your elbow and not your hands, disinfect doorknobs and light switches often, and STAY
       HOME when you are sick.

   If you or your child are high risk (asthma, immunosuppressed) you should seek medical care as
       soon as possible to prevent severe illness and complications.
   You can still get a flu shot in Maryland
           Local pharmacies are offering the flu shot.
           For more information you can visit the CCHD website at https://cchd.maryland.gov/flu/ or
               you can go to www.flu.gov or http://phpa.dhmh.maryland.gov/influenza/fluwatch/Pages/
               Home.aspx for Maryland flu information

Now is probably a good time to review the emergency contacts that you have listed for
your child and add or change names if necessary. Please be sure that at least one per-
son listed is able to pick up your child in the event of illness or emergency.

Welcome to the Cafeteria!
                            2018–2019
Please be sure to join us every day for a delicious, healthy breakfast and lunch. Here are some
things that we think you need to know to enhance your cafeteria experience.
Meal Account and PIN information

   Did you know that your child has a cafeteria account? Every student who goes through our cafeteria
    line will use a unique, Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access their account. Parents have
    the option to add any denomination to the account for the purchase of meals and snack items. It is a
    convenient way to ensure that money is not lost or forgotten during the hectic morning rush.

   What is the PIN? Each student has been issued a unique, 5 digit PIN. Parents can find their child's
    PIN in the CCPS Home Access center (HAC). Once you sign on, select the registration button in the
    far upper right area. Once you click on registration, the demographic information appears. The Caf-
    eteria PIN can be found under the Emergency Section on the right. Please help your child remember
    their number. It makes the line move faster and ensures that everyone has plenty of time to enjoy
    their meal. If they do happen to forget the number, the cashier will be able to find it for them.

   How do I put money on the account?

   Visit www.myschoolbucks.com to add value to the account with a credit card. ( There is a small ser-
    vice fee for the transaction.) You’ll need your child’s PIN to complete the simple registration pro-
    cess. Please note: online payments may require up to 24 hours to process before your child can ac-
    cess the money in school.

   You can still send in cash or a check to your school’s cafeteria. The cafeteria manager will add it to
    the account.

   The money added to the account can be used to purchase meals AND snack items.

   Can I monitor what my child is purchasing? Visit www.myschoolbucks.com and set up a FREE account.
    Once you complete the simple registration process ( you’ll need your child’s PIN to get started) you
    can set up low balance alerts and monitor what they are purchasing.

   What happens to my account at the end of the school year? Money that is left on your child’s ac-
    count will carry over from year to year. The account will also automatically transfer to any Carroll
    County Public School.

   Please remember to send any needed utensils with your child’s lunch.
********************************************************************************************
Sending cash or check to school? Include this form with your payment.
Student’s Name_________________________________ Homeroom Teacher_____________________
Amount enclosed $________________
__ Please place ALL of the money on my child’s general account for the purchase of either meals, milk or snacks
__ Please place the money on my child’s account, but I want to specify:
$_______ for Breakfast or Lunch
$_______ for Milk or Snacks

Meal Charge Policy                                                               NEW THIS YEAR!
In the rare event that a student forgets their money or does             Apply for Meal Benefits online at
not have any money remaining on their account, Carroll County
Public Schools will allow each student to charge up to two days              www.myschoolapps.com
of breakfasts and lunches. Beyond the two days, the student         Meal Benefit Applications can also be
will be served a complimentary meal of a sandwich and side          obtained from your school or by visiting
items until repayment is made. Unpaid meal charges are              the CCPS website.
treated consistent with all other school system obligations at
the school level. For more information visit                                           Meal Prices
https://www.carrollk12.org/admin/financeservices/foodservices                             Breakfast
__________________________________________________________                          Elementary: $1.50
                                                                                    Secondary: $1.75
Wellness Policy                                                                       Reduced: $0.30
CCPS is committed to promoting student wellness and assuring
that our school meals meet federal nutrition standards. Visit
our website ( www.carrollk12.org) to learn more about our                                    Lunch
Comprehensive School Health Program and Wellness Policy.                           Elementary: $2.50
______________________________________________                                         Middle: $2.75
                                                                                        High: $3.00

Smart Snacks in Schools                                                               Reduced: $0.40
                                                                    This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
CCPS offers a variety of a la carte items for purchase in all
of our cafeterias. Our a la carte food and beverage items
meet the nutritional standards of the Smart Snacks in
Schools regulations. When money is deposited on account, it
is automatically available for the purchase of both meals and
snacks. Parents who would like to limit their child’s account to
meals only, notify your school’s cafeteria manager.
Please visit
https://www.carrollk12.org/admin/financeservices/foodservices for
detailed information on the snacks available in our schools.

Physical Education News
1. The American Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser has begun! Our school’s jumping event
will take place on February 15th and the rain date will be February 22nd. Collection enve-
lopes are due at the time of the event. Thank you in advance for all your donations to
the American Jump Rope for Heart organization.

2. GIRLS ON THE RUN is about to enter its 4th year at WES! Girls in grades 3, 4, and
5 will receive information soon on how to register for this awesome program. Registra-
tion opens on February 10th. Westminster Elementary is excited to begin the spring
season on Monday, March 18th. GOTR will meet for 10 weeks and practices will be held
on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:15-5:30. This program will finish with a 5K run on
Sunday, June 2nd in Westminster, MD.

3. Stay tuned for information on the MAIN STREET MILE. The run is being held in mid
-April on Main Street in Westminster. This is an awesome 1-mile downhill running event
for the entire family.

4. In March, students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will participate in Fitness Testing again.
Each student will complete their 2nd test in each of the 4 areas: PACER, Curl Ups,
Push Ups and Sit and Reach. Students who receive 3 or 4 of their scores in the
“outstanding” area will receive a fitness award at the end of the school year.
Students have been setting goals and we look forward to their goals being achieved!

5. MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Play day is Monday, May 13th (Rain date is Wednesday,
May 15th) Please consider volunteering for this day of fun and fitness for our students!
A volunteer form will be sent home soon. Please return it to the PE teachers. THANK
YOU!

             Thank you for your support of Physical Education at WES!
                                  Stay Healthy!

From the Media Center

Winter is definitely here and hopefully, everyone is keeping toasty with some good books.
The red-cheeked students are placing cold books in the book drop every school morning!

Digital Citizenship/Information Literacy: The Media program isn’t just centered around
books and reading. Part of our curriculum focuses on digital citizenship and information lit-
eracy. There are many titles for the younger generation – Digital Natives, IGen and many
more. Our children were born into the world crowded with technology. However, they aren’t
always clear on the best ways to utilize our digital tools. Lessons include responsible use of
devices and good citizenship online. Students also learn how to evaluate web resources and
determine the best tools to meet their needs, whether it’s for education or social interac-
tion. The website community, Common Sense Media (www.commonsensemedia.org), provides
wonderful resources for parents/guardians to open up discussions about responsibility and
living in a digital world. The website also includes reviews for entertainment (video games,
movies and books). Definitely check it out!
Battle of the Books: Our 4th and 5th graders are determined to bring the trophy back this
April! It’s been a tug-of-war between Friendship Valley and WES! Teams are reading and
practicing! Parents: Please make sure that you are checking the in-school practice schedule
for your student. Reminder: The Westminster Area Battle of the Books will take place on
Friday, April 12th at 6:30 PM in the Westminster High School Gymnasium. Information
will continue to come home concerning details (dress-code, arrival times and logistics).
Battle Kick-Off Events: The Carroll County Public Library sponsors the Battle of the
Books program. As part of the sponsorship, they create Kick-off Events. This year, the
events will take place at the Carroll Community College’s Scott Theater. These events are
open to the public, not just Battle participants. The evenings consist of author signings and
talks. Many families enjoy it and it’s very exciting for students to meet the authors that
line our Media Center shelves. This year’s dates and authors include: March 18th: Henna
Kahn – Author of Amina’s Voice and March 22nd: Cammie McGovern – Author of Chester
and Gus More information is provided on the CCPL website: www. library. carr. org
We’re looking forward to seeing members of the WES community at our events. Keep an eye
out for School Messenger e-mails with more information on events. Remember, a great way
to end the day is to settle down with a book. Children love read-alouds, which are perfect
for winter evenings!
Keep reading!
Mrs. Sullivan

ELA News

       Mid-year ELA Assessments
Students in grades Pre-K through 5 take part in a variety of ELA assessments. Student pro-
gress, as measured by these assessments, will be reported to parents in a mid-year letter. Look
for your child’s scores to come home in February.
For information on additional CCPS ELA assessments, visit https://www.carrollk12.org/
instruction/curriculum/elementary/ila/parents/Pages/AssessmentInformationForParents.aspx
and click on “English Language Arts Assessment Brochure.”

Additional Parent Resources:
Be sure to check out the Parent Information portion of the CCPS ELA website!
https://www.carrollk12.org/instruction/curriculum/elementary/ila/parents/Pages/default.aspx
Find links to Curriculum and Assessment Information, resources for supporting your growing
readers and writers, and much more. If you have any questions about the English Language Arts
Program, please contact Sarah Andrews at seandre@carrollk12.org.

BE READY TO LEARN – BRING HEADPHONES TO SCHOOL!
WES students enjoy the opportunity to work with computers. Many of our programs require
students to use headphones or earbuds. As you are checking on your child’s school supplies,
please make sure he or she is bringing headphones or earbuds to school every day. Students can
opt to keep a pair in their book bag or locker. Thank you for helping your child be ready to learn!

                                                                                   Happy Reading!
                                                                                    Ms. Andrews

Music Notes

                      Chorus News and Dates from Ms. Bargerstock
WES is proud to have eight, fifth grade, students representing WES in the annual Eisteddfod
chorus!
4th and 5th grade chorus has officially begun working on the music for the Spring concert and
they already sound amazing!
Be on the lookout for information to order tickets for your chorus students to sing the National
Anthem at the Frederick Keys game.
Dates to remember!
Eisteddfod chorus concert: March 22, 2019, 7:00 p.m. at Westminster High School
Spring Chorus concert: May 9, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at WES
Chorus sings at the Frederick Keys game: May 18, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. ( arrival time 6:15)

                              Music Notes from Mr. Thompson

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported our vocal and instrumental music programs at
our winter performances! Mr. Thompson and Mrs. Bargerstock are very proud of our WES student
musicians.

The 5th Grade/Intermediate Band and Orchestra have their next performance in the Westmin-
ster Region Side By Side Concert on Wednesday, February 20, 7:00 PM at Westminster High
School. This annual combined feeder concert features instrumental music students from West-
minster Elementary, Mechanicsville Elementary, Friendship Valley Elementary, West Middle, and
Westminster High Schools, performing together as large ensembles. Admission is free and open
to the public.

The Month of March is National “Music In Our Schools” Month. Music classes and ensembles provide stu-
dents a unique opportunity to create and perform. According to the organization “Music For All”:

According to a 2003 Gallup survey, 95 percent of Americans believe that music is a key component in a
child's well-rounded education.
- American Attitudes on Music, Music Making and Music Education, The Gallup Organization 2003

   The College Entrance Examination Board found that students involved in public school music programs
      scored 107 points higher on the SAT's than students with no participation.
      - Profiles of SAT and Achievement Test Takers, The College Board, compiled by the Music Educators
      National Conference (2002)

   Secondary students who participated in band or orchestra reported the lowest lifetime and current use
      of all substances (alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs).
      - Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Houston Chronicle, January 11, 1998

   Early music training dramatically enhancing children's abstract reasoning skills. These findings indicate
       that music uniquely enhances higher brain functions required for mathematics, chess, science and en-
       gineering.
       - From Neurological Research, Feb 28, 1997; Frances Rauscher, Ph.D., Gordon Shaw, Ph.D, University
       of California, Irvine

   Source: www.musicforall.org
 We are fortunate to have a strong music program that receives tremendous support from our administra-
tion, faculty, staff, and community. Mrs. Bargerstock and Mr. Thompson would like to thank everyone for
their support of music at Westminster Elementary School!

Here is what’s happening in Humanities:

Grade 3: Students are engaged in research through the “Meeting of the Minds”. They continue
their study of words with Logology.
Grade 4: Students have decided to learn Latin. They are reading a text entitled “Minimus” to learn
vocabulary and grammar.
Grade 5: Fifth graders are studying The Constitution in preparation for their Mock Trial.

STEM:
Grade 3: Third grade students solving equations with variables using the “Hands On Equations”
learning system.
Grade 4: Students are exploring scale factor by creating scale drawings of comic/cartoon charac-
ters.
Grade 5: Students are writing code for the Arduino, preparing to program an Arduino controlled car!

Contact information:
Ivy Allgeier, Gifted and Talented Specialist
ilallge@carrollk12.org

Friendship Valley: 410-751-3650
Westminster El: 410-751-3222

   Box Tops For Education

   Please continue to send in your box tops by February
   25. Box Tops are a great way to provide educational
   tools for the school at no cost!

Health News from Ms. Walter
Family Life Parent Preview night will be held for 4th
grade parents at 6:00 pm and 5th grade parents at 6:30
pm on February 12th, 2019 in the health classroom.

 From the Art Room

  Exciting things are going on in the art room for our Green school endeavors! All art students
  have been encouraged to bring in good junk items which include anything from buttons to broken
  toys . The items will be recycled & repurposed into student Art!

  Kindergarten is currently using the recycled items to create everyday object snowmen collages .
  They have anything from LEGO facial features to plastic fork arms.

  Second grade is hard at work creating recycled heart collages from the everyday objects.

  Other projects that will be happening in the next couple months are…

  5th grade “selfie” self portraits where we study realistic placement of facial features and draw
  the portrait inside a cell phone with their hand holding it. This will also be the 5th grade “Art to
  Remember” Project.

  4th grade is creating emoji soft sculpture pillows out of felt.

  3rd grade just finished clay storyteller sculptures. Their next project will be “Art to Remember”
  animal closeup drawings.

  2nd grade just finished their “Art to Remember” project which is birch trees in snow painting .

  1st grade worked hard creating chalk pastel snowmen closeups . They are just beginning a panda
  oil Pastel resist for “Art to Remember”.

  Kindergarten will be doing a dandelion finger printing project for “Art to Remember”.

  My goal for “Art to Remember” is to have everything completed in April including ordering . More
  to come on this in the future.

  March is Youth Art month and many students will have work on display at the Carroll county art
  center.
  Students will be notified if any of their work is on display but the show is open to the public .

  Ms. Delzingaro

CONSENT AND RELEASE

                       Permission to Photograph, Videotape or Audiotape

         Throughout the school year, the Carroll County Public School System frequently covers school

activities and may use your child’s photograph, video image, or voice for educational, informational, or

public relations purposes, with or without identification by name.
         If you do not wish to have your child’s voice reproduced on tape or to have his/her image appear
in such things as a video or a photograph, or on the school or school system website or social media,
please notify the school principal in writing. It is assumed that parents and guardians consent to their
children being audiotaped, photographed, videotaped, or having their image placed on a school website
or social media by the school system unless such notification is received.

         There are also occasions when the media cover certain school events (such as when a govern-

ment leader visits a school). If you do not wish to have your child’s name or likeness published by the

media, you should address your concerns directly to the school involved so that the media is so advised.

Please be advised that the school system has no control over the media when they are covering activities

such as sporting events and musical programs that are open to the public.

                       Use of Student Work on Websites or in Publications

         There may be times throughout the year when the Carroll County Public School System wishes
to display student work on school websites, social media, or in publications. If you do not wish to have
your child’s art, poetry, writing, etc. appear on school websites, social media, or in publications, please
notify the school principal in writing. It is assumed that parents and guardians consent to their child’s work
being displayed on school websites, social media, or in publications unless such notification is received.

CG/bb
Revised 6/30/17

CARROLL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS LEGAL NOTICES IN
                              PUBLICATIONS
The Board of Education of Carroll County in its operation of the Carroll County
Public Schools (CCPS) is required to include one or more legal notices in many of
their publications and handbooks. A Notice of Non-discrimination is required on
most publications for external distribution. In addition, the ADA Accessibility
Statement is required on all publications pertaining to events to which the general
public is invited.

                            NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS) is firmly committed to creating equal employment and educational
opportunities for all persons with regard to its employment practices and in the provision of services, pro-
grams, and activities.

CCPS does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, genetic information, marital status, mental or
physical disability, ancestry or national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or
gender expression. CCPS provides non-discriminatory access to school facilities in accordance with its
policies and regulations regarding the community use of schools (including, but not limited to, the Boy
Scouts).

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination
policies:

                                 NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

  Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry or nation-
  al origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, or age. CCPS pro-
  vides nondiscriminatory access to school facilities in accordance with its policies and regulations regard-
  ing the community use of schools (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts). The following person
  has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

  Chantress Baptist
  Director of Human Resources
  125 North Court Street
  Westminster, Maryland 21157

ADA ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS) does not discriminate on the basis of disability in employ-
ment or the provision of services, programs or activities. Persons needing auxiliary aids and
services for communication should contact the Office of Community and Media Relations at
410-751-3020 or publicinfo@carrollk12.org, or write to Carroll County Public Schools, 125
North Court Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, or
have a speech disability, may use Relay or 7-1-1. Please contact the school system at least one
(1) week in advance of the date the special accommodation is needed.

Information concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act is available from the Director of
Facilities or the Supervisor of Community and Media Relations.

                                                      Carey Gaddis
 Raymond Prokop
                                                      Supervisor of Community & Media Relations
 Director of Facilities
                                                      125 North Court Street
 125 North Court Street
                                                      Westminster, Maryland 21157
 Westminster, Maryland 21157
                                                      (410) 751-3020